Mosaic tabletop. In the "pietre dure" style. Italy, second half of the 20th century.

Mosaic tabletop. In the "pietre dure" style. Italy, second half of the 20th century.
Mosaic of marble and polychrome ornamental stones.
Shows signs of wear and slight cracks.
Approximate weight: 80 kg.
Measurements: 97 x 97 x 3.5 cm.

The mosaic features a strictly symmetrical composition, organized around a large circular medallion made of brecciated marbles with pronounced veining. This central element is surrounded by green rings and a border of lanceolate white pieces, resembling petals or leaves. Arranged around it are rectangular, square, and rhomboidal fields, outlined by black and green bands and framed by broad areas of yellow marble.

Its design draws on the Italian tradition of inlays made with marbles and stones of different colors. This practice had its ancient precedent in Roman opus sectile and underwent a new development during the Renaissance. In Rome, around 1600, geometric inlays made from marbles with striking veining were particularly common, while in Florence, under the patronage of the Medici, the “commesso di pietre dure” was perfected, based on the meticulous cutting and fitting of stones to form images and ornaments.

This piece is a modern reinterpretation of that historical tradition. In contrast to the almost painterly precision of the Florentine workshops, here the focus is on geometry, symmetry, and the contrast between the natural colors of the marbles. The variety of veins and fissures thus becomes the primary ornamental element, visually contained by the black outer frame.